How long to wait for response on a full ms?

angeliz2k · Jul 20, 2010

This may have been addressed elsewhere, so please direct me to another thread if it has been (I couldn't find any using the search).

I sent out a full manuscript to an agent about 7 weeks ago. Should I give her a little more time before sending a gentle, polite, and inquisitve note asking about the status of my ms? Or would it be okay to send it now?

I know how thick slushpiles are and how busy agents are, having worked very briefly at a small one . . . so I don't want to push her! Plus, I don't want to seem, well, pushy. 93k is a lot to read when there's so much other stuff to be done.

Thanks!

kaitlin008 · Jul 20, 2010

It depends--does she have a blog/website/twitter where she's said to nudge after x amount of time? If so, go by that. If not, three months is usually standard.

suki · Jul 20, 2010

angeliz2k said:
This may have been addressed elsewhere, so please direct me to another thread if it has been (I couldn't find any using the search).

I sent out a full manuscript to an agent about 7 weeks ago. Should I give her a little more time before sending a gentle, polite, and inquisitve note asking about the status of my ms? Or would it be okay to send it now?

I know how thick slushpiles are and how busy agents are, having worked very briefly at a small one . . . so I don't want to push her! Plus, I don't want to seem, well, pushy. 93k is a lot to read when there's so much other stuff to be done.

Thanks!

ETA: Oops, crossposted with Kaitlin008's response.

There are a lot of threads on the topic - it comes up often

General wisdoms appears to be the agent's stated response time plus 2 weeks, or, if the agent doesn't have any stated response time on fulls, then give the agent 3 months before nudging.

~suki

waylander · Jul 20, 2010

Has the agent confirmed receipt of the manuscript?

cate townsend · Jul 20, 2010

waylander said:
Has the agent confirmed receipt of the manuscript?

Check this first, and follow the advice of the others above. Also, it can take up to a year for an agent to respond to a full - two agents had mine for a year before I heard back. Start on your next project. Good luck.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 20, 2010

As Cate says, get to work on your next book. If an agent is any good, she has a bunch of already published clients. This is where she devotes 98% of her time, as she should. Some agents I've know have no more than three or four hours per week to read queries, partials, and full novel submissions, and they usually have a LOT queries, quite a few partials, and several full novels to read during those few hours.

Patience really is a virtue, and the best way to stop worrying about the manuscript you have out is to pour yourself into a new one.

Ryan_Sullivan · Jul 20, 2010

You should check the Bewares board--a lot of people post on response time there, so you can find out the time specific to your agent. But I wouldn't worry until 3 months or so.

angeliz2k · Jul 20, 2010

Thanks everyone--yep, I got a confirmation that she received it. I'll see if I can find a response time.

ETA: The next project is underway, too.

Hathor · Jul 21, 2010

You can also check out querytracker.net and see if your agent has enough submissions reported to give a good sense of response time.

Guide to Literary Agents also reports some response times, or what the agencies say are their response times anyway.

How long to wait for response on a full ms?

angeliz2k

never mind the shorty

kaitlin008

Seeing newness all the time

suki

Opinionated

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

cate townsend

Jamesaritchie

Ryan_Sullivan

Agented YA Writer

angeliz2k

never mind the shorty

Hathor

Goddess of Rationalization